What hasn’t been taught in school: life

My birthday came again, and in these times people usually think about their life a little bit and evaluate it. So I did. Here are the results.

It’s pretty interesting to take a close look at how the way of turning into an adult changed in the past years. Some decades ago things worked totally different. If you graduated from a university which had a relatively good reputation, you had a high chance of getting a job quite easily and reaching the life you wanted. This generation is called “Generation X” or “Baby Boomers”. Things have changed, though. It’s now the time of the “Millennials”. Nowadays, next to your good grades and achievements in school you have to prove that you are prepared to enter the workforce. That’s why it’s so important to get some internships under your belt during your studies, and if it’s possible, not only ones in your homeland. So it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. Believe me – the best feeling is when you can enjoy your own independence.

But if you think that it’s an easy road you’ll be disappointed very soon. It’s really hard. You have to leave your home and from that point you have to take care of yourself. How to be an adult hasn’t been taught in the school. That’s why I hate it when my professors say “Your job right now is to be a student”… I have never heard about this job…

So back to my point: no one will fill your fridge, no one will wash your clothes or clean your room and no one will cook for you. You have to do your best at your workplace while simultaneously having to handle all the administration paperwork, like taxes, bank accounts, etc. It looks really terrifying for many people. They stop and stay in the comfort and security of their school or their family house.

The borders are abolished; you can travel all around the world. The few who are brave enough to leave behind their comfortable life, where their parents take care of them every day, definitely can be proud of themselves. It is hard to describe this feeling. But after a tiring day you can go the bed with a clear conscience because you did everything in your power to make your dreams real. You were proactive instead of complaining about everything from your imaginary armchair, making excuses why you couldn’t reach your goal. You can experience day by day how your independency grows, how your horizon widens and how both your personal and professional skills improve.

Standing on your own two feet will be really tiring, but it is still great at the same time.